Cognitive based neural prosthetics

Intense activity in neural prosthetic research has recently demonstrated the possibility of robotic interfaces that respond directly to the nervous system. The question remains of how the flow of information between the patient and the prosthetic device should be designed to provide a safe, effective system that maximizes the patient’s access to the outside world. Much recent work by other investigators has focused on using decoded neural signals as low-level commands to directly control the trajectory of screen cursors or robotic end-effectors. Here we review results that show that high-level, or cognitive, signals can be decoded from planned arm movements. These results, coupled with fundamental limitations in signal recording technology, motivate an approach in which cognitive neural signals play a larger role in the neural interface. This proposed paradigm predicates that neural signals should be used to instruct external devices, rather than control their detailed movement. This approach will reduce the effort required of the patient and will take advantage of established and on-going robotics research in intelligent systems and human-robot interfaces

Work engagement and the impact of a social identity crafting approach to leadership: A case from Africa's air transport industry

Purpose Managers of public organizations in liberalized sectors face the dual imperative of retaining skilled employees who might be poached by commercial competitors, and improving service performance levels, without a free hand to invest resources. While employee work engagement has been previously suggested as a solution to such management challenges, limitations in its ability to retain employees have been identified. We therefore examine how a social identity crafting approach to public leadership that confers a sense of group identity among team members, can enhance and extend beyond employee work engagement in addressing this dual imperative. Design/methodology/approach We report findings from a survey of employees (n = 199) in 'ATCO' a state-owned national airline that is facing challenges from commercial rivals within a new, competitive environment.Findings We confirm previously identified limitations of employee work engagement and, further, demonstrate that a social identity approach to leadership offers a promising avenue for public managers not only by enhancing employee engagement but more importantly enhancing retention and service performance. Originality We contribute to studies of leadership, particularly for managers operating in the public sector and resource constrained environments, demonstrating how social identity crafting, which does not require costly investment to attain, can deliver improved service performance and reduced employee turnover intention, operating beyond employee work engagement which reaches a plateau in respect of the latter

Undergraduate module on nutrition education and communication for Africa: Profiles of potential students

To be adequately nourished, individuals need to have access to sufficient and good quality food. They also need to have an understanding of what constitutes a good diet for health, and have the skills and motivation to make good food choices. Nutrition education equips people to make such choices. Building countries’ capacities to provide effective nutrition education and promote healthy diets is part of the work carried out by the Nutrition Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. The FAO Effective Education for Nutrition in Action (ENACT) project is assisting countries to develop institutional and professional capacities in nutrition education in Africa by producing a basic module on nutrition education at undergraduate level for use by national universities and other training institutions. The course materials will be available for online, face-to-face or blended use and are being piloted and revised to improve and adapt them to local context and consumer need. Creating a learner profile is an accepted step in course design, particularly important in situations where course developers do not have close contact with the students, as in this case. The ENACT learner profile was compiled from replies to a short questionnaire of 32 questions administered to a sample of students. The respondents were the actual piloting students, or were representative of those who would be piloting the course. One hundred and twenty eight responses were received from universities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda, approximately 20 per university. On average, respondents answered 96% of the questions in the questionnaire. Information was obtained on areas such as students’ social/cultural  interests; food and nutrition experience and expertise; food and eating habits; ideas of nutrition education and training in nutrition education; and study preferences. In addition, the profile of a typical learner in each country (including age, gender and information on socio-economic  background, urban/rural background and English proficiency) was compiled from the questionnaires and from additional information supplied by the tutors. The study findings have helped the course developers to select course content and structure learning activities to meet students’ needs and circumstances.Key words: professional training, nutrition education, Afric

Recording advances for neural prosthetics

An important challenge for neural prosthetics research is to record from populations of neurons over long periods of time, ideally for the lifetime of the patient. Two new advances toward this goal are described, the use of local field potentials (LFPs) and autonomously positioned recording electrodes. LFPs are the composite extracellular potential field from several hundreds of neurons around the electrode tip. LFP recordings can be maintained for longer periods of time than single cell recordings. We find that similar information can be decoded from LFP and spike recordings, with better performance for state decodes with LFPs and, depending on the area, equivalent or slightly less than equivalent performance for signaling the direction of planned movements. Movable electrodes in microdrives can be adjusted in the tissue to optimize recordings, but their movements must be automated to be a practical benefit to patients. We have developed automation algorithms and a meso-scale autonomous electrode testbed, and demonstrated that this system can autonomously isolate and maintain the recorded signal quality of single cells in the cortex of awake, behaving monkeys. These two advances show promise for developing very long term recording for neural prosthetic applications

DNA metabarcoding unveils multiscale trophic variation in a widespread coastal opportunist

A thorough understanding of ecological networks relies on comprehensive information on trophic relationships among species. Since unpicking the diet of many organisms is unattainable using traditional morphology‐based approaches, the application of high‐throughput sequencing methods represents a rapid and powerful way forward. Here, we assessed the application of DNA metabarcoding with nearly universal primers for the mitochondrial marker cytochrome c oxidase I in defining the trophic ecology of adult brown shrimp, Crangon crangon, in six European estuaries. The exact trophic role of this abundant and widespread coastal benthic species is somewhat controversial, while information on geographical variation remains scant. Results revealed a highly opportunistic behaviour. Shrimp stomach contents contained hundreds of taxa (>1,000 molecular operational taxonomic units), of which 291 were identified as distinct species, belonging to 35 phyla. Only twenty ascertained species had a mean relative abundance of more than 0.5%. Predominant species included other abundant coastal and estuarine taxa, including the shore crab Carcinus maenas and the amphipod Corophium volutator. Jacobs’ selectivity index estimates based on DNA extracted from both shrimp stomachs and sediment samples were used to assess the shrimp's trophic niche indicating a generalist diet, dominated by crustaceans, polychaetes and fish. Spatial variation in diet composition, at regional and local scales, confirmed the highly flexible nature of this trophic opportunist. Furthermore, the detection of a prevalent, possibly endoparasitic fungus (Purpureocillium lilacinum) in the shrimp's stomach demonstrates the wide range of questions that can be addressed using metabarcoding, towards a more robust reconstruction of ecological networks

Association of proinflammatory cytokines and chemotherapy-associated cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients: a multi-centered, prospective, cohort study.

BackgroundExisting evidence suggests that proinflammatory cytokines play an intermediary role in postchemotherapy cognitive impairment. This is one of the largest multicentered, cohort studies conducted in Singapore to evaluate the prevalence and proinflammatory biomarkers associated with cognitive impairment in breast cancer patients.Patients and methodsChemotherapy-receiving breast cancer patients (stages I-III) were recruited. Proinflammatory plasma cytokines concentrations [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α] were evaluated at 3 time points (before chemotherapy, 6 and 12 weeks after chemotherapy initiation). The FACT-Cog (version 3) was utilized to evaluate patients' self-perceived cognitive disturbances and a computerized neuropsychological assessment (Headminder) was administered to evaluate patients' memory, attention, response speed and processing speed. Changes of cognition throughout chemotherapy treatment were compared against the baseline. Linear mixed-effects models were applied to test the relationships of clinical variables and cytokine concentrations on self-perceived cognitive disturbances and each objective cognitive domain.ResultsNinety-nine patients were included (age 50.5 ± 8.4 years; 81.8% Chinese; mean duration of education = 10.8 ± 3.3 years). Higher plasma IL-1β was associated with poorer response speed performance (estimate: -0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.34 to -0.03; P = 0.023), and a higher concentration of IL-4 was associated with better response speed performance (P = 0.022). Higher concentrations of IL-1β and IL-6 were associated with more severe self-perceived cognitive disturbances (P = 0.018 and 0.001, respectively). Patients with higher concentrations of IL-4 also reported less severe cognitive disturbances (P = 0.022).ConclusionsWhile elevated concentrations of IL-6 and IL-1β were observed in patients with poorer response speed performance and perceived cognitive disturbances, IL-4 may be protective against chemotherapy-associated cognitive impairment. This study is important because cytokines would potentially be mechanistic mediators of chemotherapy-associated cognitive changes

Monitoring of Early Warning Indicators for HIV Drug Resistance in Antiretroviral Therapy Clinics in Zimbabwe

Monitoring human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance (HIVDR) early warning indicators (EWIs) can help national antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs to identify clinic factors associated with HIVDR emergence and provide evidence to support national program and clinic-level adjustments, if necessary. World Health Organization-recommended HIVDR EWIs were monitored in Zimbabwe using routinely available data at selected ART clinics between 2007 and 2009. As Zimbabwe's national ART coverage increases, improved ART information systems are required to strengthen routine national ART monitoring and evaluation and facilitate scale-up of HIVDR EWI monitoring. Attention should be paid to minimizing loss to follow-up, supporting adherence, and ensuring clinic-level drug supply continuit

Second-Hand Tobacco Smoke in Never Smokers Is a Significant Risk Factor for Coronary Artery Calcification

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to assess the relationship of the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis measured by coronary artery calcification (CAC) to the extent of second-hand tobacco smoke (SHTS) exposure in asymptomatic people who never smoked.BackgroundAn association between SHTS and CAC was recently reported in a single study, but the quantitative aspects of the relationship are not known.MethodsA cohort of 3,098 never smokers 40 to 80 years of age, enrolled in the FAMRI-IELCAP (Flight Attendant Medical Research Institute International Early Lung Cancer Action Program) screening program, completed a SHTS questionnaire, and had a low-dose nongated computed tomography scan. The questionnaire provided a quantitative score for total SHTS exposure, as well as separately as a child and as an adult at home and at work; 4 categories of exposure to SHTS were identified (minimal, low, moderate, and high exposure). CAC was graded using a previously validated ordinal scale score that ranged from 0 to 12. Logistic regression analysis of the prevalence and ordered logistic regression analysis of the extent of CAC were performed to assess the independent contribution of SHTS adjusted for age, sex, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and renal disease. Linear and quadratic regression analyses of CAC and SHTS were performed.ResultsThe prevalence of CAC was 24.3% (n = 754) and was significantly higher in those with more than minimal SHTS exposure compared with those with minimal SHTS exposure (26.4% vs. 18.5%, p < 0.0001). The adjusted odds ratios for CAC prevalence were 1.54 (95% confidence interval: 1.17 to 2.20) for low SHTS exposure, 1.60 (95% confidence interval: 1.21 to 2.10) for moderate exposure, and 1.93 (95% confidence interval: 1.49 to 2.51) for high exposure. The association of the extent of SHTS with the extent of CAC was confirmed by the adjusted odds ratio (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe presence and extent of CAC were associated with extent of SHTS exposure even when adjusted for other risk factors for CAC, suggesting that SHTS exposure causes CAC

Mono-anionic phosphopeptides produced by unexpected histidine alkylation exhibit high plk1 polo-box domain-binding affinities and enhanced antiproliferative effects in hela cells

Binding of polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) polo-box domains (PBDs) to phosphothreonine (pThr)/phosphoserine (pSer)-containing sequences is critical for the proper function of Plk1. Although high-affinity synthetic pThr-containing peptides provide starting points for developing PBD-directed inhibitors, to date the efficacy of such peptides in whole cell assays has been poor. This potentially reflects limited cell membrane permeability arising, in part, from the di-anionic nature of the phosphoryl group or its mimetics. In our current article we report the unanticipated on-resin N(τ)-alkylation of histidine residues already bearing a N(π)- alkyl group. This resulted in cationic imidazolium-containing pThr peptides, several of which exhibit single-digit nanomolar PBD-binding affinities in extracellular assays and improved antimitotic efficacies in intact cells. We enhanced the cellular efficacies of these peptides further by applying bio-reversible pivaloyloxymethyl (POM) phosphoryl protection. New structural insights presented in our current study, including the potential utility of intramolecular charge masking, may be useful for the further development of PBD-binding peptides and peptide mimetics.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grants ES015339 and GM104047

Range shifting species reduce phylogenetic diversity in high latitude communities via competition

Acknowledgements We thank Heather Bodie and Debbie Young for assistance in the field, and local landowners for permissions to study and sample damselflies on their land. Brad Duthie provided helpful comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. The project was supported by a NERC DTP fellowship to R.N.L.F. and a start-up grant to L.T.L. provided by the University of Aberdeen. Data accessibility All data used in this study have been deposited in Dryad Digital Repository: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.kp89j (Fitt & Lancaster 2017).Peer reviewedPostprin